The blog for citizens in Lake Oswego who share the common values of the community and the organization.
Fiscal Responsibility + Core Services + Property Rights = "Good Governance"

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Local Blogger Critical of Foothills Development

To All COLA LO Members,

This week a local blogger claims that the "scam wagons" are circling around Lake Oswego once again his comment is related to the Foothills development.

Its a harshly critical blog post but one that everyone should be aware of since Portland is very familiar with the high density development efforts under Urban Renewal.

The blog Post Recircling the Scam Wagons says that taxpayers funds are safe for the moment but implies they are in jeopardy over the long term. One online comment may have been even more critical of the effort and is quoted as saying:

Don't be surprised by proposing a Local Improvement District (LID) that is even more extensive to cover the fed/state streetcar money losses. It could extend even pass the downtown and the First Addition neighborhood, and farther to the west into other neighborhoods. You could say "East meets West". How would you like another $450 dollars a year tacked onto your home or small business property taxes?

It will be interesting to see the direction on the Foothills project given that the streetcar is no longer an option in the near term. Clearly it appears that the city will spend the original budget on Foothills and may ask for more funding.

All of this comes at a time when citizens seem to be very concerned about basic needs including streets and schools.